​6 Tips for Wakefield First-Time Homebuyers

Buying your first home can seem like a daunting process. From mortgage rates to taxes to closing costs, there’s certainly a lot to consider. Because your new home will likely be the biggest investment of your life, it’s crucial that you learn about the process before you get started.   The more you know about the home buying process in the North Shore, the more likely you will be able to get the home of your dreams at a price you can afford. That’s why we’ve put together these six tips for helping you achieve your goal of homeownership.   1) Know what you want. When purchasing a residential property in an area like Wakefield or Arlington, you’ll have several options to consider. These include traditional single-family homes, condos, townhouses, and more. Each type of property has its benefits and drawbacks, so before you move forward in the home buying process, make sure you pin down which property type will best suit your needs.     2) Know where you want to buy. Just as properties have their pros and cons, so do neighborhoods. Before you start checking out homes, decide where you want to live and focus your efforts on that area. If you’re not sure where to start, try conducting a general North Shore search to get a feel for what might interest you and narrow your criteria from there.     3) Do your research. Get online and take a look at the selling prices of comparable properties for the area you’re interested in. Sites like Trulia, Zillow, and Realtor.com can help you get an idea of what you should expect to pay, but your Wakefield real estate pro can also provide some insights and recommended resources.     4) Find out what you can afford. Dealing with financing can be overwhelming at first, so make sure you’re taking advantage of all the resources available to you. Get started by using an online mortgage calculator to see what your monthly mortgage payments would be if you bought a home today. Once you have an idea of what your budget will be, consult an agent for tips on how to take advantage of the current market and make the most of your budget.     5) Look at total monthly costs. Mortgage payments are only part of the equation. Before you buy, you’ll want to figure out what your total monthly housing cost will be, including homeowner’s insurance and taxes. To get an idea of insurance costs, pick a property, call a local insurance agent, and ask for an estimate. You may also come across online home insurance quote estimator tools like this one from Liberty Mutual– these are great for rough estimates, but keep in mind that speaking directly with a local insurance agent or your real estate agent may yield a more precise estimation.     6) Figure out closing costs. It’s important not to overlook the upfront cost of settling on your home. Closing costs include lender origination fees, taxes, title and settlement fees, as well as prepaid items like homeowner association fees and insurance. Ready to start searching for the Wakefield home of your dreams? Reach out with your goals to get your home search set off on the right foot.

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​Annual North Shore Home Maintenance Checklist

  If you’ve ever owned a home in the North Shore before, you know that just like your vehicle needs regular maintenance like oil changes to run well—so does your home. It can be easy to ignore or put these things off, but a well-maintained home will save you money from costly repairs in the long run, and make your home easier to sell when the time comes. Start giving your home some TLC with some of these must-do maintenance tips: Monthly Change HVAC or furnace filters. If your family is small and pet-free, simply inspect the filter and replace every 2-3 months. Clean range hood filters. Mix a degreaser with hot water, let it soak, then rinse it off. Check water softener. Check the salt level, add some if needed, and read the display to make sure no error codes are displayed. You’ll usually only add salt a few times a year. Biannually Deep clean. Roll up your sleeves and deep clean appliances, windows, lighting, and every crevice and corner. Keeping a clean Melrose home and not letting dirt build up will help keep it polished. Test the pressure relief valve on the water heater. This prevents corrosion—protecting leaks and helping it run efficiently. Replace batteries in smoke/carbon dioxide detectors. Make it a habit to change batteries every time you set the clocks for daylight savings time. Vacuum refrigerator coils. The fridge can account for up to 15 percent of your home’s total power—keep it running efficiently. Annually Organized by Season Spring – There’s a reason it’s called “Spring Cleaning” Service central air. Do this before Melrose heats up– you can often get this done at a discounted rate with enough time to spare before it gets sweltering hot. Check gutters and drainage. When April showers start coming down, will the water flow away from your house? Keep gutters clear so the water can flow where it’s supposed to. Test sump pump. You don’t want to wait until you need it to find out it’s not working! Check grout in the bathroom and kitchen. Fix the grout where needed—This will extend the life of tiled surfaces and keep them looking new. Check windows and screens. Clean window wells of fall and winter debris. Summer – Shift your focus to the outdoors and enjoy the sunshine Clean ducts, sweep the chimney and get heating systems ready. You’ll be turning these on at the first hint of crisp fall weather, so do this now. Check and clean the clothes dryer vent. While running, check the exhaust for the smell of fresh laundry. If the exhaust is marginal, check for blockages. Also, vacuum the lint from dryer hose. Clean garage. The garage is easy to ignore, get out there while the weather is nice, and check garage door sensors are working while you’re in there. Fall – prepare for winter during this in-between season Winterize A/C systems. Store window units and, if you have central air, cover the outside unit with a tarp. Don’t forget to fasten with bungee cords for secure coverage throughout the season. Flush and store hoses. Drain the water so it doesn’t freeze. Winter – cozy up and stay warm Break Icicles. As pretty as they look, don’t let them grow—they could fall unexpectedly, hurt someone and cause damage from their weight. When they melt, they can cause water damage to the foundation. Remove showerheads and clean deposits. This will keep your water pressure strong and keep them lasting long. Check the foundation for cracks. Use caulk or silicone to repair any small cracks before the Spring thaw. While this list is comprehensive, this is not a complete list of all the things your Melrose home needs. Don’t forget to reach out to your local real estate specialists for more information on other crucial home upkeep.

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30 Ways to Use a Vacuum That Will Blow Your Mind

Do you roll your vacuum cleaner out of the closet only when it's time to clean your carpet? Well, you're missing out. Whether you've got an upright, canister, or cordless, this household appliance has never been more powerful, versatile, and, dare we say, fun. You might need to invest in an attachment or two, but trust us, it's worth it!    Read on to learn about all the things a vacuum can do.   1. Make your house smell better “You can use a vacuum to freshen the air,” says Leslie Reichert, founder of GreenCleaningCoach.com. “Put essential oils onto a cotton ball and place in the empty bag, then let it run for a few minutes.”   2. Groom your dog Some vacuums have gentle pet-friendly attachments (with cute names like the FURminator) to collect hair as you run the brush over your pet's body. And, generally speaking, pets love how this feels!   3. Clean your mattress Over time, mattresses can collect dust and dust mites. To get rid of them, “run the vacuum attachment across your mattress, making sure to get the cracks and crevices,” says Debra Johnson, resident cleaning expert for Merry Maids.   4. Inflate a kiddie pool You heard that right: "You can use the reverse suction to blow up a kiddie pool,” Reichert notes. Save your lungs!   5. Clean your curtains Why drag those drapes to the dry cleaner when you can simply attach an upholstery accessory to suck up dust and debris right where your curtains hang?   6. Prolong the life of your fridge The inside of your refrigerator isn’t the only part you need to clean—don’t forget about the exterior bottom! After pulling the refrigerator away from the wall, use a vacuum attachment to clean the coils, where dust can collect and impair its performance. Here's more on how to clean refrigerator coils.   7. Recover lost jewelry Earring rolled under a heavy dresser? Place hosiery over the end of your vacuum cleaner attachment, then direct it into or under that hard-to-reach place to retrieve your valuables.   8. Use as a leaf blower Remember how vacuums can run in reverse? Most units do a fine job of cleaning debris from particular areas (see our next point).   9. Clean your decks Who needs a power washer when a vacuum in reverse will do?   10. Brush those blinds Use your vacuum to remove dirt from plastic blinds. “The slats are easy to unhook,” cautions Kaloyan Dimitrov, a professional house cleaner with Fantastic Services, "so brush upward only.”   11. Breathe new life into old throw pillows Sprinkle on baking soda, let it set 30 minutes, then use your brush attachment to clean away your pillows' fusty odors.   12. Unclog a drain Whether your toddler dumped a handful of sand or some other toy down the drain, there’s a drain unclogger vacuum attachment for that!   13. Give your plants some TLC Dusty houseplants needing a little touch-up will heart what a brush attachment can do to their leaves.   14. Remove grime on patio furniture Why waste all that water hosing off your patio furniture when a car-cleaning nozzle on a vacuum will do?   15. Clean heating vents and radiators Can’t quite reach in between the phalanges of your radiator? Or deep inside a heating vent? Two words: crevice tool.   16. Make your windows sparkle Before you break out the glass cleaner, vacuum the sills and edges of your windows.   17. Remove cobwebs Use your vacuum to remove dust and cobwebs not just from horizontal surfaces, but also from your corners and walls.   18. Kill fleas In addition to sucking up pet fur, vacuuming even kills fleas. One Ohio State University study found that vacuuming kills 96% of fleas in all stages of their lives, thanks largely to that powerful air current.   19. Decrumb your toaster Toaster overrun with burnt crumbs? Yep, your vacuum attachments should have you covered; just use the smallest in the bunch.   20. Get those baseboards ready for the glove test No judgment if you're not one to crawl on the floor and wipe off your baseboards. Plan B: Run a vacuum cleaner over them instead.   21. Remove dryer vent lint After unplugging your dryer, remove the hose from the back of your dryer, then vacuum out as deeply as your nozzle will reach. Here's more on how to clean dryer vents and why it's important for preventing house fires.   22. Remove carpet odors Need to freshen your carpet? Sprinkle baking soda on your carpet, let it sit for a half-hour, then vacuum.   23. Polish your ceiling fans No one ever thinks about the state of their ceiling fan—until they look up and realize how dusty the blades are. Invest in a ceiling fan attachment (a long tube with a bend at the end) to lick this.   24. Give framed art the brushoff Even delicate canvases can be dusted with a vacuum cleaner’s dusting brush attachment.   25. Lighten your lampshades A good vacuum attachment can pull the dust from your lampshades regardless of the fabric.   26. Clean the TV screen Attach a rounded brush attachment to your vacuum hose to quickly dust off your TV screen in time for the next big game.   27. Clean your couch “Don’t underestimate the power of running a vacuum over a fabric couch to remove dirt and debris before you use another cleaning method,” says Johnson. Just check the care instructions first.   28. Turn back the time on your carpet If a piece of heavy furniture has left a rut in your rug, “use a floor steamer to revive the carpet fibers, then vacuum to raise the dented carpet back to its natural height,” says Johnson.   29. Get the gunk out of your keyboard Invest in a micro-dusting attachment set, and you can suck out all those embarrassing crumbs lodged in and around your “caps lock” button.   30. Get rid of mosquitoes and flies If you're not great with a fly swatter, try going after bugs with your extension hose. At the very least, you'll entertain your kids.   Article By: Realtor.com

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